Farm Time

  Again today was some of the "farm" part of being a "WWOOF"er, which for those of you still not sure what that means, it is short for willing workers on organic farms. A-san and I planted more eggplants, marigolds, and ripped up half a row of tarp before Ogawa and Sugi-chan came back from taking Momo (the long-haired daschound who had 3 puppies but now only has 1 who survived) to the vet to get her stitches out. We did "Bloom Teams." 

Lunch was something I reconized! Potstickers! 

After lunch Ogawa met with a client and we went through the baskets of ume (plums) we picked the other day and took off the tip where the fruit meets the tree with long cooking toothpicks. They smelled yummy and I tried to get them to allow me to eat one but they warned me ume was not delicious. I guess that's why they throw it in vinegar and pickle it to get 'ume-boshi.' 

I also noticed today there are some distinct differences between Minnesotans and Japanese. 

We are "Minnesota Nice" and so are the Japanese, however, only after I ask someone a question will they make eye contact and THEN go out of their way to help me. For instance when I asked a woman if this was the right train (express or not) she and her husband changed courses and showed me where the right train would be. They had to be late 60's. That's NICE. But on the other hand when I see Nihonjin (Japanese people) walking on the street and we cross paths, I smile and they look the other way completely. And if you remember I met some Chinese girls at the party, Bao, said she knew I was nice just like the Japanese and I really didn't think I went out of my way to do anything special, I told her that's just how Minnesotans are. Then as for driving, Japanese people (here at least) drive a little fast for my taste on roads BARELY wide enough for two cars (think of rural Minnesotan farm roads but with pavement moved into the city) but extremely passive and nice as most of us in the land of snow are. 

P.S. I tend to offend Obaachan a lot and it was nice to have her visit a friend for two days so I don't feel so bad shutting the freezer with my knee (completely without even thinking twice) or asking to put soy sauce on my rice, which, I'd like to state is WRONG WRONG WRONG in Japanese culture. No one, I mean NO ONE puts it on the rice. It's bad manners. So, you can imagine how I felt when I tried to ask for soy sauce for two days because I've eaten it that way my whole life. Surprise!

Wow, someone is cutting onions downstairs and I can smell it and feel it. Oh. yikes. my. eyes.